Roller coaster season continues for Werribee Giants

Wade Balzer has led the Werribee Giants defence at shortstop. (Damjan Janevski)

The seemingly endless battle with inconsistency goes on for the Werribee Giants.

The Giants still have their head above water with a 7-6 record, but cannot afford too many more dismal performances like the one they served up in a 13-3 loss to a rampaging Berwick City Cougars at President’s Park on Saturday.

Giants president Ben Bavdek described the Cougars loss as the low point in the season.

“It was a bit of a pasting – it wasn’t fun,” he said. “They just came out and showed us how to play.

“They just did their job, got the hits and advanced the runners home.

“They did the simple one per cent baseball things that we didn’t do.”

Werribee’s hierarchy is still unsure of where the team fits in the pecking order.

Three clubs – Williamstown, Berwick City and Preston – have opened up a sizeable enough gap that won’t see them caught before Christmas. The Giants are currently in a middle tier of just themselves and Springvale, having a musical chairs-type affinity with the fourth spot, comfortably clear of sixth-placed Malvern and the rest.

Despite the current big three opening up a handy lead at the top, there is no panic from the Giants just yet.

“We’ve been very up and down,” Bavdek said. “One week we’re chocolates, the next week we’re boiled lollies.

“We’re not playing that bad, we’re still above .500, so we’ve won more than we’ve lost and we’re in the mix for the four. We’ve learned from the last couple of years that being on top doesn’t mean you are going to win the flag.

“In our boat, we always seem to be on top but we don’t win the flag, so I think we’re still in it.”

If the real Werribee can stand up this week, it could get its season back on the right path.

The Giants face Springvale in a Thursday night blockbuster at Melbourne Ballpark that Bavdek has described as akin to a “double points game” before a Sunday showdown with premiership favourites Williamstown in the western derby at President’s Park.

“A win over Springvale would give us that little edge going into Christmas,” Bavdek said.